The Perfect One
An engagement ring is supposed to show your love and commitment, and not to leave you in everlasting debt. Can I sense a sign of relief from the men? The saying goes Diamonds are forever, but there are other options to diamonds that are less expensive like “Cubic Zirconias” and some “Birth Stones”, but this time I will be speaking on “Diamond” engagement rings. Keep in mind that most of the value in a diamond engagement ring is the diamond, which might not be the case when selecting rings with stones like “Cubic Zirconias” and “Birth Stones. In the case of a Diamond ring, the setting (metal) can be changed if the diamond is of significant size in which the diamond is transferred to another setting of ones choice(Upgrade!!!!!). If you are on a limited budget, be sure to commit more to the diamond center stone than the setting (metal) or if the metal is of more significance to you, select a ring with smaller size diamonds which can be just as effective visually.
Do a little research
What makes shopping for an engagement ring so difficult is the number of factors to consider. Make sure you know the basics before you even begin shopping: the style of jewelry she usually wears, the color of metal and stone she prefers, and her ring size. An online search is a good place to start, simply to get a feel for the selection you’re likely to encounter.
Your budget
Establishing how much you can spend on a ring before you head to a jeweler can simplify the trip. If the jeweler knows your budget from the start you can avoid being steered in the wrong direction. The jewelry industry typically recommends investing one to two months’ salary in a ring, but beautiful rings can be found at lower prices.
Figuring out her ring size
Don’t know her ring size, but still want to surprise her? Don’t fret, there are a couple of ways to find out without raising suspicion. Recommended tricks: Make an impression of her ring in between two bars of soap, trace the inside of her ring on a piece of paper noting the finger she wears it on, try her ring on for size and see how far down your finger it goes noting the finger she wears it on, enlist a friend to ask her question(some women make a point of knowing their ring size), pretend to go window shopping with her and stuble upon a ring shop which gives you guys an oppotunity to try on rings or, best of all, bring one of her rings with you letting us know which finger she wears the ring on.
The four C’s: CARAT, COLOR, CLARITY & CUT
Once you’ve begun to look at diamond rings, jewelers will tell you there are four C’s to consider. The first: carat, refers to the unit of measure used to weigh diamonds. It is recommended purchasing a slightly smaller diamond than planned for a large cost savings. For instance, a 1.75 carat diamond will cost considerably less than a 2 carat diamond and the size difference is hard to detect visually. The color of a diamond also contributes to its cost, I recommend F-H color diamonds unless you have a really large budget. The clearer, or whiter, the diamond, the greater its value. White diamonds look stunning in platinum or white gold settings, while warmer-colored diamonds are accentuated by yellow gold. When a jeweler talks about clarity, he is referring to any internal inclusions or external blemishes a stone might have. Diamonds are rated on a scale of ‘flawless’ to ‘I3,’ when inclusions are visible to the naked eye. As you can guess, the fewer inclusions, the greater the stone’s value. I recommend VS1 -VS2 clarity, which any inclusions are not visible to the nake eye and it will put some savings in your pocket. Most women have a preference about the cut of the stone, so this is one to be sure of before making a large purchase. There are many different cuts: heart, baguette, trillion, princess, pear, oval, round, marquise, and emerald are just a few. The popular round cut highlights the diamond’s brilliance(the most sparkly cut), while the princess cut has a square shape and draws attention to the diamond’s fire(you would want to be careful with the corners, the cut is prong to chipping at the corner if excessive force is applied to it). My favorite is a cushion cut, which is considered a fancy cut. It looks like a combination of the Emerald, Princess and Round cuts.
Now guys! You are well equipped to make a great decision when selecting the “Perfect Diamond Ring for the Perfect Woman”! Happy Shopping!!!
***Engagement rings in photo above available at Deinte Fine Jewelry
Ola Tinuke Erogbogbo-Oyeniyi(RGA)
Chief Operating Officer/Jewelry Designer
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